Over the years a number of handcuff designs have been put forward to improve the techniques for detaining prisoners. These designs typically incorporate a spring biased manacle which engages a detent or pawl to prevent backward or opening movement of the manacle. These designs are generally illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,966,787 to Tompkins and U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,614 to Von Frantzius.
The art is also illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 372,510 to Bean which discloses a set of handcuffs with a rigid central casing containing a key operated locking mechanism and U.S. Pat. No. 1,342,334 to Kruger which discloses a handcuff assembly having elements similar to Bean but having a combination type lock for disengaging the lock pawls and a removable outer plate for access to the locking mechanism.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 1,856,427 to Pratt discloses a pair of individually adjustable cuffs connected to a rigidly central stock that may be converted into a nipper and U.S. Pat. No. 1,984,677 to Harrington discloses a device for locking the rotating arm of a handcuff against rotation in either direction. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,665 to Rosenthal discloses a removable shield for attachment over the central portion of a conventional set of handcuffs connected by a chain. The shield, comprised of a pair of parallel plates fits over the connecting chain. Elongated openings (14 and 15 in FIGS. 2 and 3 of Rosenthal) formed into the face of the plates are aligned to receive a prisoner's waist chain, much like running a thread through the eye of a needle. The chain must then be secured around the prisoner's waist by a lock or other means. The waist chain when position through the elongated openings in the shield, below the handcuff chain, prevents removal of the shield.
Attaching the handcuffs to a waist chain is a desirable and common practice for handling and controlling prisoners. It provides greater security and safety for the guards and for others in the area. However, running a waist chain through an opening in the handcuffs, or a shield as in Rosenthal, and then securing the chain around the prisoners waist is time consuming and may be difficult and dangerous if the prisoner is resisting.
None of these devices provide a quick, safe and efficient means for attaching the handcuffs to a prisoner's waist chain. Consequently, a need exists for an improved handcuff design to provide a means for quick and efficient attachment of a prisoner's waist chain to the handcuffs.